Microsoft’s new Security Update Validation Program

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Are we finally getting broad-based testing of security patches (“cumulative updates”) before the patches are released? That’s the hope. Dawn Thomas at
[See the full post at: Microsoft’s new Security Update Validation Program]

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Myst, Great Lake Bunyip, Kirsty, GreatAndPowerfulTech, PhotM, geekdom

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“…and is limited to trusted customers under NDA who have been nominated by a Microsoft representative.”

Is there any mention of tester background and qualifications?

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Myst, WildBill

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Guess that’s cheaper than hiring testers.

Cheaper in the short term.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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This is definitely an existing program that Microsoft has been doing for many years.  Want to say I heard about it as early as 2005 (i.e. not long after Patch Tuesday was instituted) but I may be a bit off on that.

To me it sounds like they’re trying to catch the attention of a new wave of IT people that don’t know this program exists.  You certainly could make the argument that the existing group of organizations they have aren’t catching enough problems, so maybe it’s time for some new blood.

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woody

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Could these be the Preview Rollups that are getting in-house testing in addition to the consumer-side “Guinea Pigs” who install the now UNCHECKED optional patches?

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No, it’s not.  These folks get the actual security patch before we get it and test it for issues.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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rc primak

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If the external testers are sutably qualified, there are enough of them, they represent a diverse user group, they are truly independent, the feedback mechanisms are effective enough and the Windows team have any resources to do something with the feedback it will of course be a drop of good news.

Alot of caveats in that lot though.

I admit that when I read the word “trusted” in the Microsoft piece, another part of my brain also said the word “tame”. Keeping an open mind with Microsoft is taking  some effort.

 

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This seems to have been cobbled together quickly to soothe users ruffled feathers. I don’t expect to see any real change, since Microsoft is still relying on unpaid outsiders that have nothing to lose. They need to restore the QA department and test properly, fix bugs, and retest until everything works properly.

GreatAndPowerfulTech

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lanceboil, rc primak, lurks about

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It’s been around for a long time, it’s not new, just made more public.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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Never trust Micro$oft…Never…Never…Never. I learned my lessons about them when they were trying to stifle Netscape and detrimentally impact Netscape’s users, years ago. I just posted to this board a few days ago about, for the first time in my life, seriously considering buying a Mac, after all of their chaos trying to patch their OS. I don’t see how self-respecting tech people can work for them. That said, the contents of this announcement appear to be a tiny step for them. However, it does ~not~ change my sentiment. I think Win 7 will be my last M$ OS.

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lanceboil

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Talk about bafflegab and lip service to quality control.  If MS was serious about the subject they wouldn’t depend on volunteers.

ITS NOT WHAT THEY SAY, ITS WHAT THEY DO!!!!

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Klaas Vaak

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A small forward step to improvement is better then no step I guess.

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rc primak

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Wish I could believe this is more than just a cover-your-a** public relations effort, but given Microsoft’s determination to ram everything to do with Windows 10 down as many throats as fast as possible, I have serious doubts they’ll let a little thing like quality slow them down in any significant way.

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Myst, Cybertooth

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Still sounds like they expect other people to do their work for them.  Now having an external group of beta testers is incredibly useful, but that cannot cover up any lacking of in-house beta/alpha testing capabilities of Microsoft.

This also reminds me of that story earlier this year about an Insider MVP being ostracized by the Insider community after questioning why a known issue hadn’t been patched for months.

So… I’m starting to see a good mix of yes men, from small companies fighting to have their problems even acknowledged, with a few large MS partners, who are given high priority for fixes and drive the path of development, sprinkled throughout.  All while the internal testing dept is gutted.

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rc primak, Klaas Vaak

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I wonder when will Microsoft realize that the update system and the beta test team they had was ok and didn’t need to be changed.

Just someone who don't want Windows to mess with its computer.

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I am inclined to view this as throwing a bone to keep the dogs at bay not a real solution to Windows quality problems. A real solution would be to reconstitute the internal testing group with some serious offers of some very real money. Even if they have to train some initially it would show a commitment that says to me there are actually serious about fixing the problems. Until I see real cash insignificant quantities going to real people to staff a permanent QA department then I will believe they are truly serious. Otherwise, W7 is the last version of Windows I will use personally. I am fortunate to have options other than Windows.

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Klaas Vaak, Myst

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…. and is limited to trusted customers under NDA who have been nominated by a Microsoft representative.

Sure sounds good on paper.

No, it does NOT sound good, in any case not good enough, because the home users are excluded. in other words, M$ still does not give a d*** about home users. In fact, the impression I have, that M$ wants to rid itself of home users in terms of Windows, is getting stronger with each passing day.

1x Linux Mint 19.1 | 1x Linux antiX

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It’s already there for years and shipped as preview updates.

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Yep, it was started in January 2005. Not sure what you mean by “shipped as preview updates” but it clearly isn’t working.

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rc primak, geekdom

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If the testing group were open to all Developer level people, this might be a good direction for Microsoft to take. In Linux, as in the larger Open-Source community, developers are always testing beta builds and patches, reporting back on effects and side-effects, and generally working well together to improve core product stability, security and functionality.

But that is not what this program is. It’s just a bunch of  koolaid-drinking, yes-man sycophants and Microsoft Fanboys, trying to add many voices to the official Party Line that all the current patches and rollups are A-OKay, and there’s nothing to see here, nothing to hear. Move along, Johnny, and take your Cumulative Updates and Random Driver Updates.

-- rc primak

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lanceboil

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I would tend to agree with your perspective on this. It seems the non-enterprise users are still set up as cannon fodder to expose bugs that a real in-house QA program would be designed to accomplish. Just more bafflegab from the Redmond folks.

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rc primak

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I question when and why this Security Update Validation Program was abandoned if it was working in the first place … it was abandoned, wasn’t it?

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